rachel_ld 0 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Hello, I'm going to Japan for the first time this winter to snowboard, very excited. Anyways, I am wondering how difficult it would be to travel on the trains with a snowboard, etc. Say from Tokyo to Sapporo. Is it possible? Is there room on the trains for this gear? Many thanks! Rachel Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Yes its possible to travel on trains with snow gear. The Shinkansen rack can take your snowboard bag no problem. Dunno about the train from Tokyo to Saporro....why would you take the train? Flying is both easier and quicker (cheaper too). Shink doesn't connect into Hokkaido Link to post Share on other sites
skidaisuki 0 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 As Tubby says, it's usually a piece of cake and you see a lot of people on trains with boards and skis - just be considerate where you stow your gear and make sure it won't fall down and brain anyone during the journey. Train to Sapporo is all very romantic, but the shinkansen currently only goes as far as Hachinohe (before Aomori in Northern Honshu), from there you have to change trains and it takes several more hours to get to Sapporo. Flying in about 90 minutes makes much more sense unless you have a rail pass and ample time on your hands. SdS Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 I agree with TB and SdS travelling by train will take forever! As well, there is a baggage delivery system in Japan called Takkyubin. I highly recommend it. From Tokyo to Sapporo it will cost 2000Y door to door and is usually delivered within 24hrs. I use it everytime I fly to Hokkaido because I can't stand being on a crowded train in Tokyo with all my gear! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 someone has said that there is also a snowboard rack between the cars on the Joetsu and Nagano Shinks, but I've never found them!! Usually I just store it on the rack above my head Link to post Share on other sites
skidaisuki 0 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Tubby - on the Nagano shink the ski / snowboard racks are located by the toilets at the end of carriages and are cunningly disguised as a cupboard with a shelf when they are not being used. What you do is fold up the shelf, which will lock folded upwards (if I recall correctly), stick in your ski or board bag(s) and then fold down a restraining bar which clicks into place to stop the whole lot falling out into the end of the carriage. It sounds complex, but it's quite straightforward and you'll know what I'm talking about next time you catch the train to Nagano. Takkyubin's great as long as you have the time and assistance to arrange it. When going to Hokkaido I will now always use it. The main issue is to make sure someone's around to receive what you're sending. Otherwise the takkyubin company starts calling you to ask what to do - and that can really spoil an evening's drinking. SdS Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Really makes me smack my forehead when people ask about taking the train from Tokyo to Hokkaido. It's a sheer waste of time and effort. You could spend that time enjoying yourself in the resort. Link to post Share on other sites
gareth_oau 2 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 you could be wanting to enjoy the extended Japanese countryside Link to post Share on other sites
griller 9 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Some people might smack foreheads hearing about people going back to the same place over and over again...... Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 dunno, that sounds perfectly justifiable Link to post Share on other sites
brit-gob 9 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 But boring for some. People have different ideas, opinions and things that get them going. Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 I'd like to check out new places to board . I do have some places I would and have been back to. Maybe a new thread ... Link to post Share on other sites
blu 3 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Trains not a big problem, but getting in and out of crowded stations can be a challenge. Do you have a wheelie bag. I strap the +1's ski bag onto mine. Link to post Share on other sites
SantaCruz 0 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Originally Posted By: Black Mountain I agree with TB and SdS travelling by train will take forever! As well, there is a baggage delivery system in Japan called Takkyubin. I highly recommend it. From Tokyo to Sapporo it will cost 2000Y door to door and is usually delivered within 24hrs. I use it everytime I fly to Hokkaido because I can't stand being on a crowded train in Tokyo with all my gear! @Black Mountain: I'm thinking about doing Takkyubin since I'll have 3 days in Tokyo before traveling to Niseko. My hang ups are that I don't speak Japanese and I won't have a cell phone while in Japan. Any feedback on if it's worth it for a gaijin would be awesome Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 SantaCruz, You can rent a cell phone @Narita Airport. You can rent weekly , shorter, longer, something like that... Link to post Share on other sites
skidaisuki 0 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 SantaCruz - takkyubin's not too difficult to arrange. I've never arranged it at Narita, but naturally they have English-speaking information people there who are usually very happy to help you out with whatever you ask, even if the takkyubin desk people aren't so good at English (though at Narita they probably speak English OK as well). Obviously the main things are having the correct address and making sure that they know when you are due to arrive at the hotel, so you can be sure your gear's there before you are - though their logistics networks are so advanced that anything can be sent amazingly quickly to pretty much anywhere in Japan. So if you have time - do it at Narita. Otherwise, most convenience stores (Lawson, Family Mart etc.) act as pick-up points for takkyubin as well and if you ask them politely and look confused they will probably help you fill in the forms. SdS Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 SdS, pretty much has it covered. I'd add though that almost any accommodation in Tokyo will arrange the takkyubin for you. All you'll need is to know the address of where you are sending it and to let the people you are sending it to know when to expect it. Don't worry about not knowing English, all you'll need to say to your hotel staff in Tokyo is 'takkyubin' and 'Niseko' and then hand them a piece of paper with the address written on it... Link to post Share on other sites
SantaCruz 0 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Haha, nice. Thanks for the info guys. @Jynxx - I've rented cell phones in Japan before, and it's very helpful for getting in contact with people. But for those trips I was mostly hanging out in Tokyo and Kyoto. I'm doing 3 days in Tokyo in the beginning and 1 day at the end. Still undecided if I'll rent one for this trip. It might be handy though. @SdS - Awesome, thanks for the info about English speaking, etc. Sounds like Narita is the way to go. I'll be ping my lodging in Niseko to see if they can receive my stuff for me and get their address. I looked at the takkyubin website and they seemed to want a box to ship. Any problems just sending my snowboard bag full of gear? If any of you kids are in Niseko while I'm around then I'll get ya a beer as a thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
Zer0star 0 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 nah you don't need a box. just a ski/snowboard bag. they should have rates up for ski gear on their website. I used the Takkyubin on the way home once, so i picked up from Narita. It's up near the check-in counters if i remember, Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Hey SC, you'll be fine sending a snowboard bag. I usually send mine with 3 boards, 2 sets of bindings, and all of my thermals etc jammed into it. One thing about sending it from Narita is there will be an extra airport handling charge... I think it's under a 1000Y though so nothing to worry about. I'll be in Niseko from the 22th of December to about the 10th-11th of January with a small crew if you are looking for people to ride with. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Nah you don't need a box, just rock up to the counter and give them your bag. I sent my board bag down to Yokohama when I first arrived here. If you wanted to do it straight off the bat, then the Kuro Neko (Black Cat) desk is just to the right when you come through immigration, past the bus counters at the end of the hall. Just have your address that you want to send it on to and as SDS said, make sure and ask when it'll get there before you send it (just in case) Link to post Share on other sites
SantaCruz 0 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Originally Posted By: Black Mountain I'll be in Niseko from the 22th of December to about the 10th-11th of January with a small crew if you are looking for people to ride with. Appreciate the offer, would take you up on it if we were there at the same time. I'll be in Niseko from Jan31 - Feb 14. Def let me know how your trip goes! Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Takyubin - great service. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Another vote for Takyubin - if I go away for a stint, and there is a takyubin place nearby, it always gets sent home via that. Trains are easy to do when they aren't so busy, but in the middle of the season, and everyone else seems to have a board or skis with them, it can get congested, getting on and off the trains. Link to post Share on other sites
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